Save a tiger.

In my last post, Ban it, ban it, I wrote about the abuse of telemarketing on the old and vulnerable.

I also have issues with the various charities that deluge the old and vulnerable with requests for small amounts of money (Why is it always £3?). Of course after they have donated they are then submitted to numerous telephone calls entreating them to up their subscription.

I myself subscribe to a few charities and I have informed them at length that I will cancel my subscriptions if I’m pestered in future.

If they’re that hard up for money then I suggest that they sack their call centre staff and sell the building they’re housed in.

Ban it, ban it.

Now I’m usually against any ban as I would prefer people to decide for themselves, rather than governments producing blanket bans, which often, have unintended consequences.

I would however, like some restriction on cold calling over the phone. I myself couldn’t care less being cold called as I sometimes like to play games with them. I do like pretending that I’ve heard the grand child crying and have to see to him. Of course I’ve got to put the phone down for a moment. I then make a cup of tea and go and sit in the garden for a while. Funnily enough when I pick up the phone again they’ve rung off.

What really gets me though is they seem to especially target the older generation, who were brought up in an era of trusting a person’s word. That generation was brought up in a world that had no telephone or internet distance selling, and bought almost everything on a face to face basis.

The elderly have been outflanked by these hard sell tactics. They cannot believe that the cold callers are just trying to meet targets set by their company and couldn’t care less how they do it.

Case one:

My mother in law (Bless her) was conned into a twice yearly subscription to a magazine for £79.99 per annum. Luxury yacht hire FFS. (Luckily I managed to find out in time and get it cancelled. I was somewhat rude to the company on the phone.)

Case two:

My aged aunt has just been sold a telephone call blocker device. Yes it will work, but she’s paid four times the price you can buy it on Amazon.

It’s a huge problem that needs to be addressed. even all the major charities are involved in pressurising to give to them via telemarketing.

“Just pledge £3 and you can save tiger/child/raccoon/penguin/*insert your choice*/etc”.

Anyone else had this problem?

Humour

 

I could tell I was back in the UK when…….

As I was exiting the airport terminal into the open air, and commencing to light up a ciggie,  an officious prick in uniform passing in the opposite direction  through the entrance way tells me in a loud voice, “No smoking in the terminal”. FFS

It really goes to show what a rigid, almost police state we seem to have become.

It was an absolute joy being on Crete for two weeks. No petty officialdom anywhere in sight. Smoking is hardly restricted at all. The average grecian is not the slightest bit bothered whether someone smokes or not. Ash trays are on the tables in tavernas and if you stub out a cigarette in one it will very shortly be replaced with a clean one.

I suppose I shouldn’t complain as I’ve just found out that the identical house to me, next door, is being solid for £150k more than I thought the houses were worth.

Maybe I’ll sell up and move to Greece.

first day of my incarceration

Today saw myself enjoying a full day on sunny Crete. After a late rise at half past eight, having made a cup of tea, I availed myself of one of the many sun loungers by the pool. After a short time I had built up my empire to comprise a table, ash tray, cigarettes, tea, and my trusty kindle.

Absolute bliss. This is the way holidays should be. No pressure and no urgent commitments. In fact as little planning as possible.

At about twelve noon it was decided that a trip into the village was required for lunch, and more importantly, beer. This objective was achieved without any fuss and eventually we staggered back to the villa. A happy satisfied band.

We've since been out for a meal and are finally rounding out the day with some large whiskys at the villa's  poolside bar.

I’m off.

On holiday that is, from this Friday.

Although I doubt that any reader of this blog will miss me due to the lack of decent material over the last few months. Every blogger has that moment when looking at his keyboard, he just sighs and stares into space.

Anyway, I’m off to the sunny island of Crete where I will spend two weeks of reading, eating, drinking, and generally relaxing.I’ll have plenty of room to relax in as well.

As there were only going to be four of us this year we applied for a luxury villa that would accommodate six. However we were offered a villa that sleeps twelve persons for the same price. How could you turn that down? We’ve stayed in that villa before and it really is superb.

So think of me having to endure fourteen days of hot weather, cheap booze and fags, and the ability to do what I want to do, when I want to do it.

I might even write the occasional blog post rubbing it in.

Can this be true?

After protests from environmentalists, Gloucestershire Police are to stop using CS gas sprays on violent suspects and will carry a deodorant-style roll-on version instead. A leaked memo sent to area commanders gives details of how suspects must be told to get their hands up so trained officers can move in rapidly to apply the roll-on to one or both exposed armpits. Within seconds, the roll-on causes nausea, vomiting and streaming eyes while its sandalwood-and-musk scent creates a disabling degree of social embarrassment that can last several hours…………….

Read the rest HERE

You must be yolking.

 A public service broadcast by TFE

History repeats itself?

and to be of good cheer. Here you are

Oh dear

He really doesn’t understand, does he.